Publications

25 Feb 2013
Research & Ideas

Lean Strategy Not Just for Start-Ups

garnering revenues of $4.15 billion in 2012 with products like Quicken, TurboTax, and QuickBooks. But there lies the potential rub. "Success is a powerful thing," said Cook, who now serves as chairman of Intuit's Executive... View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Financial Services

01 Mar 2016
News

Faculty Q&A: Price Check

Many products are sold for just one selling season. It’s extremely difficult to predict demand—sometimes demand actually increases as the price goes up due to perceived quality and popularity. These factors make selling fashion View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; Nonstore Retailers; Retail Trade

March 2006
Module Note

Managing Innovation in an Uncertain World: Module 3: Expanding Diversity

By: Alan D. MacCormack

Describes the third module of the 30-session Harvard Business School elective course Managing Innovation in an Uncertain World. The course helps students understand the challenges that uncertainty implies for innovation and how to overcome them. The course emphasizes... View Details

Keywords: Innovation and Management; Business Processes; Projects; Risk and Uncertainty; Product Development; Managerial Roles; Opportunities; Perspective; Expansion; Goals and Objectives

November 2000 (Revised June 2010)
Case

Bush Boake Allen

By: Stefan H. Thomke and Ashok Nimgade

Bush Boake Allen, a flavor and fragrance firm, is considering strategic options that would integrate customers into its innovation process via a potentially disruptive Internet-based technology. As this approach could result in dramatic changes to the firm's business... View Details

Keywords: Customer Focus and Relationships; Disruptive Innovation; Technological Innovation; Management Teams; Product Design; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Conflict Management; Internet; Chemical Industry

December 1970 (Revised September 2006)
Case

Harmon Foods, Inc.

Prediction and shipment has been a scheduling and budgetary problem. Multiple regression is suggested as a solution. Evaluation of regression coefficients leads to better understanding of trend, seasonality, and promotion effectiveness. View Details

Keywords: Demand and Consumers; Production; Forecasting and Prediction; Budgets and Budgeting; Manufacturing Industry; Food and Beverage Industry

November 2006 (Revised February 2007)
Case

Microsoft Xbox: Changing the Game?

By: Andrei Hagiu

In September 1999, the Microsoft Xbox team was wondering which strategic choices would give it the best chance against the upcoming Sony PlayStation 2. Initially called "Project Midway" within Microsoft, the console project was intended to counter the perceived threat... View Details

Keywords: Customers; Recruitment; Leadership; Management Teams; Multi-Sided Platforms; Two-Sided Platforms; Production; Strategy; Competition; Expansion; Video Game Industry; Texas

August 2002
Background Note

Customer Benefit Stack

By: Das Narayandas

Describes a process to understand customer benefits created in industrial markets using the metaphor of a customer benefit stack. View Details

Keywords: Customer Satisfaction; Customer Value and Value Chain; Marketing Strategy; Product Marketing; Manufacturing Industry

September 1997
Case

Tri Valley Growers: A New Age Co-op

By: Ray A. Goldberg and Mollie H. Carter

Tri Valley Growers is a dominant co-operative in its industry and, yet, still suffers from poor returns. The board of directors worked with the new CEO to change the product, market, and financing focus of the co-op to assure a long and profitable future for its... View Details

Keywords: Capital; Profit; Goods and Commodities; Product Marketing; Cooperative Ownership

Find at Harvard

August 1992 (Revised February 1995)
Case

Otis Pacific Asia Operations (B): Regionalization

By: Michael Y. Yoshino

Describes Otis's effort to build a regional organization linking its previously autonomous opportunities across the Pacific Asia region. Describes changes being made in several key functions, including manufacturing, marketing, engineering, and finance. Presents major... View Details

Keywords: Engineering; Finance; Marketing Strategy; Production; Opportunities; Competition; Integration